How do you remember Phoenix? Stories from long time residents... (Glendale: Japanese, creek)

[trillcatz]

Originally Posted by roosevelt

It was officially called South Phoenix when it was still unincorporated.

So those names were used prior to incorporation too? We moved to South Phoenix just prior to annexation and I remember it being called South Phoenix but I always thought it was just a designation.

[roosevelt]

Originally Posted by trillcatz

So those names were used prior to incorporation too? We moved to South Phoenix just prior to annexation and I remember it being called South Phoenix but I always thought it was just a designation.

I have visual proof, probably 1940? If they made a street sign must be the right name.

[aviator7777]

Did the Encanto area receive a city special designation? I would assume they did as it was one of the first areas developed. I guess we could add Moon Valley to the list as it too was just an area not a subsurb in its own way with city designation.

[desertskies]

Whilst searching for a map showing South Phoenix as a name, I came across an interesting find concerning Goodyear and am posting this, hoping a longtime resident here can answer...
A 1935 Arizona road map and a 1938 Rand McNally show Goodyear located east of the Gila River Ind. Comm., southeast of Phoenix, near Chandler off of then Hwy 87. Present day maps locate the city east of Buckeye/west of Phoenix on I-10. Outside of the Goodyear Rubber Co connection, are these two Goodyears the same town, moved for perhaps economical reasons?

http://www.arizonaroads.com/maps/1935-3.jpg

http://www.arizonaroads.com/maps/1938-3.jpg

[observer53]

"South Phoenix" was just a designation, in the sense that it was never incorporated as such. Encanto is one of the "urban villages" now, but I don't think it ever had any earlier separate designation.

About Goodyear... yes, there was some discussion about that several pages upthread. I'll see if I can find it.

[Chrisxxx]

Moderator cut: copyright issues - please post links instead of copying from websites

It's always interesting to learn how Valley sites compare with the rest of the country and world in various aspects. I've visited all but the Hall of Flame. I still hope to get there someday.

[pbenjamin]

Many of the urban villages have names that preceded the village concept but often the boundaries are different than you would think. People clearly do not identify with those names unless they existed prior to the villages and apply to where they live in common conversation. For example, I live in the Encanto village, but would never tell anyone that. (I live in Willo, Encanto is across 7th Ave...) Years ago I lived in the Paradise Valley village. I was the chairman of the Village Planning Committee. People there do often think of themselves as living in Paradise Valley (or sometimes, unfortunately, Scottsdale). The name, however, existed for years before the villages were created. It was called Paradise Valley long before there was a PV Village (or a Town of PV, for that matter, they stole the name).

[Westside Willie]

[quote=Here is a postcard of Scorpion Gulch[, not as impressive as the mystery castle but interesting.[/QUOTE]

Heres a recent shot - yes its still there.

[Westside Willie]

No takers?

OK well maybe it is a bit obscure but since I brought it up...
Frank Bennett, formerly of KCAC in now Fran /Frannie Bennett.

nuff said.

[azdr0710]

Originally Posted by pbenjamin

Years ago I lived in the Paradise Valley village. I was the chairman of the Village Planning Committee. People there do often think of themselves as living in Paradise Valley (or sometimes, unfortunately, Scottsdale). The name, however, existed for years before the villages were created. It was called Paradise Valley long before there was a PV Village (or a Town of PV, for that matter, they stole the name).

from wikipedia:

(the Town of PV) should not be confused with Paradise Valley Village, an official municipal designation, in northeast Phoenix, Paradise Valley, Phoenix, Arizona. For instance, Paradise Valley Community College, Paradise Valley High School, Paradise Valley Hospital, Paradise Valley Mall, and Paradise Valley Golf Course are all located several miles to the north of the town, in Phoenix. The town's name along with all the other various entities bearing the same name comes from the expansive area known as Paradise Valley, that spreads from north of the Phoenix mountains to Cave Creek & Carefree on the north and the McDowell Mountains to the east.


and the origin of the name "Paradise Valley" in the first place is from an early 1900s attempt to bring Verde River water to what is now that part of the City of Phoenix and N Scottsdale to irrigate the land and turn it into an agricultural "paradise".....remnants of the Verde Canal are still visible here and there between Taliesin and the Desert Ridge area near the CAP canal....years ago, before development, the old canal appeared to be just a low vague ditch a few feet wide with much, much mesquite/palo verde growth along its edges due to water puddling there